Military Aircraft: Training

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training hours flying time RAF fast jet pilots were able to undertake on average in each year since 2004.

Bob Ainsworth: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
	 Substantive answer from Bill Rammell to Liam Fox:
	My predecessor undertook to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Questions on 23 February 2009 (Official Report, column 37W) and 2 March 2009 (Official Report, column 1364W) about the average training hours spent by fast jet pilots in each aircraft type in each year since 2003 and in each month of 2008 and the training hours flying time RAF fast jet pilots were able to undertake on average in each year since 2004, respectively. I undertook to write once officials had completed collating the data and as the two questions are very similar in nature I am providing a combined answer.
	Aircrew are monitored for competency levels throughout their flying career and training continues for Front Line aircrew after the initial award of Combat Ready Status. This answer gives the number of average actual Front Line pilot training flying hours for 2005 onwards. Information prior to 2005 could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Additionally, subsequent changes to the flying hours reporting system have resulted in data not being held centrally for 2007/08; figures for that year could only be retrieved at disproportionate cost. Therefore, figures for the financial year 2007-08 have not been provided.
	The available annual data is provided below and has been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	
		
			   Average actual front line pilot training flying hours 
			  Fast jet aircraft type  FY 2005/06  FY 2006/07 
			 Jaguar 225 197 
			 Tornado F3 204 220 
			 Tornado GR4 194 195 
			 Harrier 165 148 
			 Typhoon 264 250 
			 Total hours 7,052 1,010 
		
	
	From the information provided above the average of actual fast jet pilot training flying hours is 210 for FY 2005-06 and 202 for FY 2006-07.
	Changes to the flying hours reporting system mentioned above, also means that monthly data for the period January to March 2008 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	The available monthly data for 2008 is provided below and has been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	
		
			   Average actual monthly front line pilot training flying hours 
			  Month of 2008  Tornado F3  Tornado GR4  Harrier  Typhoon 
			 April 12 11 12 17 
			 May 10 11 9 15 
			 June 13 10 9 15 
			 July 11 9 10 15 
			 August 11 9 9 11 
			 September 10 11 14 15 
			 October 10 10 12 14 
			 November 9 8 7 14 
			 December 5 6 5 7 
		
	
	We expect to fly less over the winter months as a result of stations standing down over the festive season and adverse weather conditions affecting planned flights.
	The hours for Hawk training aircraft have not been included as these aircraft are not used on Operations.
	I apologise for the delay in replying and any inconvenience caused.